Civil society organisations have called for more decisive action against terrorism in Nigeria.
This is as they urged security agencies to intensify efforts to protect lives and property while appealing to citizens to actively support the fight against insecurity through credible intelligence sharing.
The appeal was made on Saturday in Abuja by the United Against Terror Movement (UATM), which commended the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force and local vigilante groups for recent gains in counter-terrorism operations but stressed that the battle against violent extremism remains far from won.
Speaking at a press conference themed, “Nigerians Unite Under #UnitedAgainstTerror: A Call for Peace, Solidarity, and Decisive Action,” the Convener of the movement, Okai Austin, said while security agencies had demonstrated renewed professionalism in tackling terrorism, sustained efforts were needed to ensure Nigerians can live without fear.
“We commend the DSS, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force and local vigilante groups for their sacrifices and renewed professionalism in tackling terrorism. However, the work is far from over, and every effort must be made to ensure Nigerians can live without fear,” he said in a statement shared with PUNCH Online.
Austin particularly praised the DSS for adopting a law-based approach to counter-terrorism by arresting suspects and allowing the courts to determine their guilt or innocence rather than resorting to extrajudicial measures.
According to him, the agency’s commitment to due process has strengthened public trust in democratic institutions and demonstrated that terrorism can be effectively tackled within the framework of the law.
“The DSS has shown that terrorism can be fought within the ambit of the law through arrests, investigations and successful prosecutions. This is a model that should continue,” he added.
He also pointed to the recent release and compensation of a farmer allegedly wrongfully arrested by the DSS in Kaduna State as evidence of increasing institutional accountability, urging other security agencies, including the military and police, to embrace similar standards.
Despite acknowledging progress, Austin warned that terrorist groups continue to pose a serious threat to national security and called for enhanced intelligence gathering, stronger coordination among security agencies and more aggressive operations against violent extremists.
“Terrorism remains a serious threat. Military commanders and political leaders must intensify intelligence gathering and eliminate violent extremism wherever it exists. Every attack on any Nigerian should be seen as an attack on the nation,” he said.
He further urged Nigerians to support the #UnitedAgainstTerror campaign by volunteering credible information to security agencies, stressing that public cooperation remains critical to defeating terrorism.
“Effective collaboration between citizens and security agencies will deny terrorists the secrecy they rely on to plan and execute attacks. Security is everyone’s responsibility,” Austin stated.
Also speaking, a member of the movement, Okpanachi Jacob, cautioned against sharing sensitive security information on social media, warning that such disclosures could jeopardise ongoing operations and undermine national security efforts.
“Security information should be passed directly to the appropriate authorities, not circulated on social media where it could compromise ongoing operations,” he said.
Jacob also called on the Federal Government to strengthen oversight of funds allocated to states and local governments, arguing that prudent management of public resources would help tackle poverty and other socio-economic conditions that often contribute to insecurity.